Brave, Braver, Bravest
by Batmansson98
Summary: Damian Wayne finds himself a new friend. After a hard past, his new friend becomes a new vigilante in Gotham. Colin Wilkes is jealous. Alfred is suspicious. Ra's Al Ghul is summoning a myserious evil to rid Gotham of crime. CAN DAMIAN JUGGLE TWO FRIENDSHIPS AND HIS GRANDFATHER's MADNESS? (Damian X OC)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Interests

Thirteen year old Damian Wayne was pretty self-centred. He never cared about anyone else but himself, his father and occasionally his friend Colin. His friendship with Colin had become tiresome. They liked each other but there wasn't much interest there. There was little spark between them both. They were so much different from each other.

Damian was walking down a wide street in Gotham. It was completely pedestrianized because it was a street surrounded by shops. These shops ranged from tiny comic stores to sprawling designer shops. It was always busy.

Damian liked it here. He liked being able to sink into the crowd, to just blend in. The hordes of people were only either the incredibly rich of Gotham and Blüdhaven or wealthy foreign tourists on their travels. This allowed him to blend in. Nobody cared that he is Bruce Wayne's son. He liked that. But his status did allow for small perks; skipping the line in some shops, discount etc.

It was a great feeling to lay low without the paparazzi constantly molesting you with cameras and microphones and recording devices. The only news reporter he liked to see was Vicky Vale. She was kind and gave him hugs, because of her close 'friendship' with his father. Although he would never admit it, Damian thought Vicky was fit. He found it weird because he thought a woman that was easily three times his age, fit.

He sighed as he dumped his McDonalds Milkshake into a bin. He decided to go into the comic shop. He thought they were stupid. All those fake superheroes and local artists making comics out of Superman and the mysterious Batman, he found stupid. He didn't want to read some crappy graphic Novel about the caped crusader, he lived with Batman.

He enjoyed laughing at them. He looked through the comics to kill time, and he would simply laugh.

"What crap you got in today, Rick?" He asked the comic store owner.

"Oh, like you say, just some crap!" Rick replied sarcastically.

Damian scoffed "Tt."

He walked up to the glass case by the cashier and looked through the glass. "You got anything really expensive?" Damian Asked.

Rick's face lit up. "Why, yes. Yes we do!" He smiled. "Follow me into the back, Master Wayne."

Damian followed the scrawny middle-aged man into the back of the store, whilst a geeky twenty-something year old manned the shop.

Rick stopped at a black crate. It wasn't too large; however it was substantial in size. "Here's my new stock. She's rare." Rick beamed as he slowly unclasped the buckles atop the crate. He did it for effect.

"Rick, cut the crap. There is money burning a hole in my pocket. It is not hard to do a simple task such as opening a crate." Damian ordered.

Rick shoved open the lid. Inside the crate was a pair of drumsticks, some guitar picks, a guitar amplifier and guitar.

"What is this…I was at least expecting a rare Katana or something interesting." Damian roared.

"Damian, they were used by the Arctic Monkeys in Glastonbury 2007, they are rare." Rick assured.

Damian's face went from a frown to a beaming grin. "That is awesome Rick! How much you want for them?" He asked.

Rick shrugged and looked into the air as if he was calculating. "Five thousand dollars!"

Damian's grin got wider. He thought it wasn't possible for a grin to get wider than it already was. "I will take them. I will have my butler collect them either later or tomorrow. He will bring Five K in cash." Damian said.

Rick shook Damian's hand and smiled. "It is a deal then Master Wayne!"

Damian left the shop with a huge smile on his face. He didn't even ask why a comic shop had band memorabilia, but then again these days the shops have to broaden out to earn extra money.

He carried on walking. He found himself daydreaming about being Batman someday and how he would catch all the women.

He wandered into the Gotham Central Park. It was a huge place; trees everywhere, a large fountain in the middle and some biking trails. The grass was always neatly trimmed, and although not as large as Central park in New York, it was still very big. It seemed a strange and comforting place to be amongst the skyscraper complexes sprawled all over the city. There was a familiar sound coming from the fountain. Not a sound of water, but instead there was a sound of a familiar song.

Damian investigated. He walked around the other side of the fountain and there was a boy sat on the side. He was playing an Arctic Monkeys song on his acoustic guitar. Damian beamed and stood in front of the boy who was playing.

The boy had light brown hair and looked up from his guitar. "Err, can I help you?" He asked, smiling.

"Carry on playing, it is my favourite song!" Damian urged.

The boy's eyes lit up. "It is my favourite too."

Damian sat down beside the boy. He dropped around forty dollars into the boy's guitar case. Damian watched as the boy played.

"It is a pity I don't know the lyrics." The boy sighed.

"I will sing if you want!" Damian suggested.

The boy smiled at him. "Go ahead,"

Damian never sang, not even in the shower. He occasionally did when listening to his IPOD or MP4 player, but never usually.

He started singing the song. The boy stopped playing and a smile illuminated his face. "Wow, you're actually really good at singing!" He said.

"I never sing." Damian replied.

The boy smiled even more. "You should sing, like, I dunno… every day! You'd be absolutely sick if you practiced!" He beamed.

"You really think?" Damian asked.

The boy shifted to face Damian, still with his guitar rested in his lap. "Absolutely!" He exclaimed. He extended his hand "My name is Ryan!"

Damian shook his hand. "I am Damian." He replied. "How old are you?"

Ryan put his guitar into his case. "I am thirteen. What about you?"

Damian smiled. "I am thirteen too."

Ryan clipped his case up. "I have never seen you around Gotham before…"

"That's pleasantly surprising!" Damian said.

Ryan smiled. "How come?"

Damian shrugged. "I am Bruce Wayne's son!"

Ryan shook his head dismissively. "Am I supposed to know who that is?"

Damian's jaw dropped. "Yeah, he's sort of a big deal!"

Ryan laughed and playfully punched Damian's arm. "I am pulling your leg. I know who Bruce Wayne is."

Ryan hauled his guitar case onto his back. "So… you wanna go get a drink or something?" he asked.

"Sure. I know a great place where they do the best shakes ever!" Damian smiled as the pair started walking.

Ryan nearly stumbled into a tree. "Is it Alfonso's?" Ryan asked.

"Never heard of him… I go to the Gotham Plaza, you know the little Shake Shack in there…" Damian said.

Ryan shook his head and giggled. "I used to go there, but the Plaza shakes taste like sewage compared to Alfonso's. He makes them fresh with ice-cream of your choice!"

Damian shrugged "I don't mind to be honest. I just like Milkshakes! If the milkshakes are as good as you say they are then why not?"

Ryan led Damian out of the park and into an alley that led past Gotham Arena and onto Shrewsbury Avenue.

"It is about a mile down here!" Ryan explained. "So how come I have never seen you around, like at school or anything? Do you go to Gotham Academy?"

Damian put his hands in his pockets. "No. I was sort of off the rails. My dad didn't trust me enough to send me to school. But my granddad, Alfred, tutors me."

"Oh," Ryan said. He didn't know what to say. He could see the sign of Alfonso's diner. "I go to Gotham Academy. It's very big. I don't really like it there."

Damian looked curious and concerned. "Why?"

Ryan shrugged and kicked a stone into the gutter. "I…Um…There are some not very nice people there, that's all."

Damian looked over at the boy who looked somewhat uncomfortable talking about it.

"Why do they bully you?" Damian asked.

Ryan shrugged. "Because I am different,"

Damian raised an eyebrow "It what way?"

Ryan shrugged again, he felt uneasy. "It doesn't matter. We're nearly there anyway!"

The diner was nice. It looked like a traditional American diner from the nineteen-fifties. It wasn't too swank or anything. It was just a humble place.

"Hey, Alfonso" Ryan smiled as he went through the door. Ryan was wearing a baseball shirt with three quarter length sleeves. It was Red and White, like the diner's interior.

"Hello there young Ryan! How are you today?" A plump man with a moustache said from behind the counter. He had a strong Italian accent.

He came out from behind the counter to hug the boy.

"I am good thanks, Alf." He smiled.

"Who's your friend, Ryan?" Alfonso asked as he wiped a glass up in front of them.

"His name is Damian," Ryan smiled, "I just met him at the park. We have lots in common"

Ryan smiled at Damian. Damian nodded at Ryan's statement.

Alfonso gestured towards a table near the front of the diner. "What can I get you two boys?" Alfonso asked.

Ryan sat down. "Just my usual please Alf," He said with a smile. Ryan turned to Damian. "What do you want mate?"

Damian hesitated, "Do you have strawberry?"

Alfonso nodded, "That is Mr Ryan's favourite. I will get you both your milkshakes." Alfonso said as he plodded off into the kitchen.

There were only a couple of other people in the diner. It wasn't a match day so the Gotham Rogues fans weren't flooding in like usual.

Damian was comfortable. He had never been to this part of Gotham during the day, only ever at night as Robin.

"You and Alfonso seem close." Damian remarked.

Ryan nodded. "My dad used to bring me here when I was little. I have been coming here all my life, pretty much."

"You said he used to bring you, why doesn't he anymore?" Damian asked.

Ryan hesitated. "My father and my mother died when I was five." He said.

Damian felt bad. "Oh. I didn't mean to be so insensitive."

"It is okay." Ryan smiled. "I have Alfonso; he is a good friend and my music. That's all I have really"

"I have never really had a friend before. I mean I have acquaintances, but I don't get much chance to spend time with anyone my own age," Damian said.

Ryan smiled, "Me neither."

Alfonso appeared with two strawberry Milkshakes. "There you go!" He smiled.

"Thanks Alfonso," Ryan said, getting out ten dollars

Alfonso gestured for Ryan to put the money away, "On the house for a regular like you," Alfonso said.

Damian took a few gulps. _Man that is good! _He thought to himself.

"Mmm, these are really good!" Damian said as he took another sip.

Ryan nodded in agreement "They certainly are!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Friends

After a great day of shopping and acquainting, Damian Wayne hitched a lift with Alfred back to Wayne Manor. The wind was heavy, and the forecast for the rest of the week was shockingly terrible.

On the ride home there was a silence until Alfred broke it. "So has today been a good one, master Damian?" Alfred asked as he looked in the rear-view mirror.

Damian looked up at the man. "Yes thanks Alfred!"

Alfred swerved to avoid a dead cat as Damian looked saddened by the sight. "What did you do today, Master?"

Damian looked at Alfred and smiled. "I went to Ralph Lauren and got myself a Polo Shirt in every colour in the range, went to the comic book store, got some rarities that thankfully you were willing to pick up for me, then I went into the Central park and made a new friend, then we went for milkshakes!" Damian said.

Alfred looked intrigued. "Did you say you made a friend?" He asked.

"Sure did Alfred!" Damian grinned, "He's really cool. He plays guitar and loves The Arctic Monkeys and his name is Ryan,"

Alfred met eyes with the boy in the rear-view mirror. He smiled. "I am glad you are making friends again. Whatever happened to young master Colin?"

Damian looked out the window of the Rolls Royce. "We just drifted slightly apart. We still see each-other, but he is back to school and he has been trying to improve his grades, even though I got him an A for his lit test," Damian sighed.

Alfred raised an eye brow "I see," He turned down the annoying radio. "This, Ryan, seems to have affected you"

"He had a sob story, it was sad. But I don't have emotions because emotions are a girl-thing!" Damian said, trying to hide the fact that Alfred was right.

"I guess the other seven billion people on earth are all females then, Master Damian. Call your father 'Mom' and see where that gets you!" Alfred jeered.

"Pennyworth, you take things way to seriously." Damian replied.

"Says the boy I found crying because Muffassa died in The Lion king," Alfred smiled.

Damian looked evilly. "Tt. I did not you imbecile, I had something in my eye, like dust or something. It is a freaking old manor, you know how it is!"

Alfred laughed. "If you say so yourself, master Damian. You keep telling yourself that."

* * *

It was evening at Wayne Manor. It was light enough to see across the grounds and it was pleasantly humid. It was the silence before the storm Damian feared.

Damian was milling around the manor in some house trousers, which were basically cool trousers made of pyjama material for wearing around. He was slightly flustered from his workout. He sat at the breakfast bar in the large space connected to the kitchen. Wayne manor had been re-vamped. The outside looked like a Gothic Mansion but inside looked like Ikea.

He was drinking a strawberry protein shake and eating a vegetable pie. He sat and was also playing on his Smart Phone. Bruce walked in. He too was wearing house trousers. There was no reason to be dressed smartly.

He smiled at Damian as the boy took another bite of his pie.

He walked to the fridge and got out a pot of pasta.

"Hey kiddo," Bruce Said as he leant down to kiss Damian on the forehead. "Did you have a good day?"

Damian nodded as he launched a rather angry bird at a green pig.

"I am sad though, I only spent six thousand dollars!" He replied as he brushed crumbs off his six-pack.

Bruce's jaw dropped! "What the hell did you spend that on? It better be a bloody Ferrari or something!"

Damian shook his head, "I brought every Polo shirt in Ralph Lauren from the boys section and in every colour, and I brought some rare stuff my favourite band used at Glastonbury Festival. It is all signed"

"What was it? I hope it was the lead guitarist for that bloody price!" Bruce exclaimed, "Also, I can't believe you brought a polo shirt in every single colour!"

"I got some drum sticks, a guitar, picks, amplifier a shirt and some photos. All signed of course," Damian replied.

Bruce nodded. "Alfred told me you have a new friend!" Bruce smiled.

Damian nodded, "He is so cool," he beamed "He and I have so many common interests. He even likes the same milkshake flavour!"

"Well… that is good." Bruce smiled. "Did you get his number?"

Damian nodded as he finished off his pie. "Yep, Gotham is a big city, so I would have been stupid not to have gotten it."

Bruce smiled. "I am having a little celebration; unofficially it is for twenty years of the existence of Batman. But officially it is just a 'get together'. Oliver Queen is coming, Stephanie, Dick, Jason, Clarke Kent, Barbara Gordon, Tim, Leslie and Hal Jordon. If you want you can invite your friend…"

"I barely know him, father. He could be an assassin sent by my mother to kill me!" Damian replied.

Bruce laughed. He ran his hand through his matted black hair and smiled. "The likelihood of that ever happening is slim, Damian." His father reassured, "Your imagination never ceases to amaze me. You should put it to an actual use, such as perhaps writing stories or something productive like that. I know you barely know him, but it would be a good chance to get to know him better. Or you could always invite young Colin over, either way I want you to have some form of likeminded company to avoid you getting bored."

"Boredom is for simpletons, I don't get bored. I just have lapses in interest, father!" Damian spat.

"Whatever you want to call it, just phone one of the two lads up, invite them over for the party tomorrow. I just want you to have someone to chat with. Be a normal thirteen year old for once in your life, son. Have a friend over, chat about girls, play Xbox, listen to music… I don't mind… just be normal!" Bruce exclaimed.

"Tt. Will there be food?" Damian asked.

"Alfred is going to prepare a buffet, some nibbles and bits to eat. Finger food and such." Bruce nodded.

Damian nodded appreciatively. "Will there be anything veggie?"

Bruce looked at his son as if to say _are you stupid? _"No, we're going to force feed you meat after you have been a vegetarian for the past year!" Bruce replied sarcastically. He enjoyed winding up his son. It was one of those fatherly joys that only dads can relate to.

"I take that as a yes, due to your undoubtedly sarcastic tone, father," Damian smiled.

"Another thing… if you want to make friends, talk more like a human being and less like a robot assassin." Bruce jeered.

"Okay, if I stop talking like a robot, will you stop dancing like an idiot dad at discos? I mean at Clarke Kent and Diana Prince's wedding, you were dancing like some nineteen-eighty disco hippy! It was not a cool look, Dad." Damian poked.

The rest of the vast space lit up as Alfred walked through the space and into the kitchen. He was wearing a smart shirt, suit trousers and smart black shoes. He reached for the oven gloves and opened up the large catering-standard oven. He pulled out a baking tray and lying on the tray were dozens of cookies.

Damian's cobalt-blue eyes lit up with astonishment. Damian loved Alfred's cookies. Everyone who ate one of Alfred's cookies came back for more.

"Smells good, Alfred." Bruce hummed as he hovered over the baking tray staring at the delicious looking cookies.

"Those are too hot to eat right this minute, Sir." Alfred warned.

Damian came over to the baking tray and hovered over it too. "They do look very nice, Pennyworth. Did you bake them especially for me?" Damian asked with an innocent grin illuminating his face.

"No, those are for everyone, master Damian." Alfred smiled as he put the cookies in a cupboard to cool. "If there is one missing tomorrow morning when I come to check up on them, I will beat up a certain pair of mischievous Wayne's."

Bruce laughed at the false threat. "Whatever you say, Alf."

Alfred eyed the man in a suspicious, yet joking manner. He left the room and Bruce let out a sigh.

"Damian," Bruce smiled.

"Yes…" Damian replied as he looked up from Angry Birds.

I count thirty-two cookies on the tray." Bruce smiled, "A strange amount to bake… why not just thirty?"

Damian caught on to what Bruce was implying and smiled. "Pennyworth you're absolute legend." He muttered. "He made us both one each!"

Bruce nodded in agreement. "Go get us both a glass of milk!"

Damian eagerly slipped himself off of the barstool and over to the fridge. He grabbed a carton of milk and poured himself and his father a glass full each before joining Bruce at the breakfast bar

Bruce quickly dropped the hot cookies onto two small plates.

"There you go my boy," He smiled as he put a cookie in front of Damian.

Damian smiled. "I appreciate the sentiment of you calling me your 'boy' but I would rather you didn't! But thank you for the cookie, father"

"Finnish that milk and the cookie and then get your arse up to bed, son," Bruce smiled as he wiped off a milk-moustache.

* * *

It was around eleven AM on a Saturday. It was nearing the end of the break and there were lots of skateboarders and juveniles hovering around Gotham according to Alfred. Damian was sat reading the Gotham Times, and Bruce was pumping some iron in the newly built gym.

Alfred was counting his cookies and smiled when he could only count up to thirty. "Are this batch as nice as the last, master Damian?" He asked.

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Damian protested scratching his toned abdomen.

"I did leave a cookie for you and master Bruce," Alfred said as he put the cookies into a plastic container.

Damian nodded. "I suppose I shouldn't lie any longer. They were incredibly tasty thank you, Alfred."

"No problem, master Damian," Alfred smiled to himself as he tucked the container into a cupboard.

"I am just going to make a phone call, Alfred." Damian announced. He got up from the table and up three flights of stairs to his bedroom on the first floor. He went inside the vast blue-painted room and flung himself onto his king-sized double bed.

He turned on his smart phone and typed in the pin to unlock the phone. He went to contacts and pressed 'call'.

The phone rang and Damian nervously awaited pick-up.

"Ugh…Hello?" A dry voice from the other end asked.

"Hello. Is this Ryan?" Damian asked.

"Um…yeah it is. Sorry I am a bit groggy because I just woke up." Ryan explained. "Who is this?"

Damian smiled to himself. "Your friend Damian…"

Ryan paused to smile to himself on the other end of the phone. "Oh hey, Damian. You know not many people are allowed to wake me up so early, right?"

Damian giggled. "Sorry. I normally wake up around seven or eight so I expected you to be up at this hour." He said.

"I am lazy, I am aware of that!" Ryan giggled.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come to my house for a party-thing my dad is throwing. He said it would be good for me to have some company…" Damian said suggestively.

Ryan thought for a second. "I don't really know you that well, but I have no other friends and nothing planned except some dull history essay, so if your dad says I can, I will come."

"Yeah it was his idea." Damian said, playing it cool to not sound too eager.

"Just wear casual clothes and I will pick you up from outside Alfonso's?" Damian suggested.

"Sure. I will see you then, mate." Ryan said as Damian ended the call.

Damian couldn't believe it. He had another friend.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Party

Damian was excited as he rang to confirm the time he would collect his new friend. The time was agreed; five-thirty outside Alfonso's Diner. The wind was unpleasant as Damian hopped out of the Royce that was parked on a curb. Alfred sat patiently inside the swanky car as Damian went to look for Ryan. It was unpleasantly cold and reasonably damp; therefore, Damian knew Ryan was likely to be sitting in Alfonso's waiting.

Damian walked into the well-lit diner and soaked up the warmth. He removed his woolly gloves and slid them into his pocket as he approached the table where Ryan was sitting.

Ryan looked up. He smiled. "Hey," He said as he stood up. He was wearing a thick blue coat with a furry hood and a cool little scarf, which Damian thought was quite cute looking.

"Hey," Damian smiled, "Have you been waiting for long?"

Ryan shook his head. "No not long, maybe five minutes or so." He replied.

Ryan was wearing blue chinos, a smart blue polo-shirt and hi-tops. He suited blue really well; it must have been his turquoise eyes or his slim figure.

"You look nice, mate." Damian complimented, not trying to sound creepy.

Ryan blushed slightly and looked into Damian's cobalt-blue eyes. "Thanks," He smiled looking over Damian's body. "You do too,"

Damian was wearing a red Ralph Lauren polo shirt and he was wearing light blue skinny jeans, some Red Nike's and a black and Red Prada coat. The boys were startled by the horn of the Wayne's chauffeured Royce.

Damian led Ryan out to the car. Ryan gasped. "Is this your car?" he asked with a look of intrigue. Damian nodded.

"Yep," He said with a proud grin, "It is one of them…"

"You have more than one car?" Ryan asked with an intrigued tilt of the head.

"Yeah, around ten or so," Damian said as he opened up the car door for Ryan.

The boys sat inside the spacious Rolls Royce.

The big car had no trouble cruising around Gotham. Especially not with Alfred, the ex-British Secret Service Agent and RAF combat medic, at the wheel.

It pulled into the big iron gates at the frontage of Wayne Manor. Alfred buzzed himself in. The car rolled gracefully onto the gravel drive and up the road leading towards the manor itself. The grounds were huge; bigger than anything Ryan had seen. The grounds were even larger than Gotham's Central Park reserve. The Grounds were extravagantly large.

"This is cool. You could totally have a great time with a soccer ball out here!" Ryan enthused as he tapped Damian on the shoulder.

"A soccer ball? What is soccer?" Damian asked

"You don't know what soccer is?" Ryan exclaimed, "It is where dudes kick a ball around a field for ninety minutes. A round ball, not like an American Football."

"Yeah, I know that sport. I have seen Alfred watching it. I did not know what the name for it was. Alfred supports an English team called Tottenham or something like that." Damian replied.

"They're rubbish. There are so many better teams out there." Ryan nodded.

The car pulled up out front of the manor. It was not dark yet, but gloomy from the bad weather. The scale of the manor loomed over the boys as they clambered out of the luxurious car.

"This place is huge!" Ryan gasped.

Damian nodded and put his hand on Ryan's shoulder as they looked up at the gargoyles of the gothic manor.

"It was rebuilt a few years ago, and we totally re-fitted the inside to look modern. My father got it built with the same brick and wanted to ensure the rooms were in correct places and to ensure that it was the same on the outside." Damian explained.

"That's pretty cool, man." Ryan smiled. The boys walked into the large entrance of the house and Damian kicked off his shoes. Alfred bent down and put them on a rack. He hung his coat up and Ryan did the same. Alfred was pleased Damian had at least hung his coat up.

Bruce came through the doors. He was wearing a white button-up shirt and jeans. For a casual look he pulled it off nicely.

Bruce smiled. "I am Damian's father; Bruce." He said cheerfully as he shook Ryan's hand. "You must be Ryan, right?"

Ryan nodded. "It is great to meet you, Bruce."

"The guests won't be arriving until six thirty if you two want some time to chill." Bruce said with a smile.

Bruce smiled as Damian and Ryan sprinted upstairs.

"You like guitars, right?" Damian asked as Ryan followed him to the second floor of Wayne manor.

Ryan stared blankly at Damian. "Obviously not, that's why I spend time to play my guitar," Ryan said sarcastically.

"Alright Mister Sarcastic!" Damian whined. "I was only asking, in case you wanted to view my guitar collection…"

"You…play…guitar?" Ryan asked in shock.

"Been playing for two years," Damian smiled

Damian opened the door of the room. Inside was a literal mini recording studio. Lined up against one wall were dozens of guitars, rare, valuable, and aesthetically pleasing. Ryan gawped at the collection and was cooing over them all. This made Damian smile.

"I love your two Gibson Les Paul Gothic Guitars, they're sick!" Ryan gawped.

Damian smiled and picked one up, plugged it in and handed it to Ryan who started to play his favourite song.

Damian smiled. "You can have it, Ryan. I have so many. I would rather it went to a good home than just sit here." He said.

"I can't take it from you, Damian." Ryan said.

"No, I want to give it to you as a gift" Damian pleaded.

Ryan beamed. "Thank you!" He said exuberantly.

Ryan extended his arms for a hug. Damian wanted this, his heart longed for it. He reluctantly stepped into the magical, but very brief hug.

"Thank you very much!" Ryan smiled pulling back from the hug.

The embrace had taken Damian by surprise. He had enjoyed it.

"My pleasure," Damian smiled.

Ryan took a brief moment to gaze into Damian's beautiful blue eyes before he looked at the guitar he had been given.

"I…I am lost for words. Thank you so much!" Ryan smiled.

"Tt," Damian giggled, "Stop saying 'Thank you' it is making it awkward…"

* * *

Later all the guests were arriving; first to arrive was Oliver Queen and Clark Kent, also known as Green Arrow and Superman. Oliver and Bruce embraced in a manly show of affections.

"Long time, no see, Oliver," Bruce enthused as Oliver handed him a crate of beer.

"Indeed it has been, my friend." Oliver replied, "The JLA haven't been active at all, but I suppose in some ways, that is a good thing."

Bruce nodded.

Tim came down the stairs followed by Damian and Ryan.

"This is Oliver and Clark," Bruce said introducing everyone.

Damian smiled, "Uncle Ollie," He smiled, "How are you?"

Oliver shrugged, "I am fine thanks, what about yourself, young Dami?"

Ryan smiled at Damian. "Yeah I am good as well," Damian smiled. "I am glad to see you again, Oliver. Hello Mister Kent, how is life in the world of Kryptonite, spandex and journalism?"

Bruce clipped Damian round the back of the head, "Our guests don't know our identities, Damian!"

"Don't worry, Mr Wayne. I know Clark is Superman and that you are Batman… it wasn't hard to work out." Ryan smiled.

Bruce and Damian gasped in shock as Oliver and Clark nervously wondered around.

"What on earth makes you think that, Kid?" Bruce said laughing the matter off.

Ryan stared at him blankly, "You think that a man who clearly pumps iron, is a recluse, incredibly rich, has a gothic manor, a son who could overpower most grown men and has lots of friends from neighbouring cities who are also rich and pumped out, isn't a superhero?" Ryan exclaimed. "Your parents died, you needed something to do – something to help others not be in the same situation as you were, you don the Bat costume, roll around in a fast car, have gadgets only someone incredibly rich like yourself or Oliver or even Tony Stark could afford! You have a sidekick who has great resemblance to you and you have the same number of sons as Batman has had sidekicks."

Bruce was shocked, but managed to smile.

"That kid is good, Bruce. Really, really good." Clark pointed out.

Ryan shrugged. "Orphans like me have lots of spare time." He smiled. "Oliver is blatantly Green Arrow; there aren't that many millionaire red-heads that can afford a J-500 Titan custom performance compact bow."

"Wow…" Damian gasped. "He is clever!"

Bruce looked nervous. "Kid, you can't tell anyone our identities." He said placing a nervous hand on Ryan's shoulder.

* * *

The other guests arrived. Bruce's living room was packed with drunken friends and family, delicious food prepared by Alfred and Leslie. Barbara, Tim, Dick, Stephanie and even Jason were dancing and enjoying the free alcohol.

After the boys had mingled with the guests and stuffed their faces with delicious samosas and nibbles hand-made by Alfred, they set up the Wii.

"I will face you at… that dancing game," Dick slurred as he spoke to his little brother Tim.

Tim nodded. Damian and Ryan left to go upstairs. Ryan smiled at Damian and stared into his eyes.

"Your brothers seem nice," Ryan smiled. "Especially Richard,"

"Dick is alright," Damian shrugged. "I don't like Tim, he's a prick. I however, do like Jason. He is actually okay. He is cool and lets me drink alcohol and stuff,"

"Cool" Ryan nodded as Damian sat on his bed and invited Ryan to join him. "Your room is like, I don't know; a small apartment or a hotel suite!"

Damian got off the bed and smiled as he offered Ryan a coke from his minibar. Ryan declined the coke; he was stuffed with Alfred's buffet. "It isn't that big. I mean, there is enough room for my computer, desk, number one guitar, weights, an en-suite, bookshelf, stereo and TV." Damian replied.

"I think it is pretty big!" Ryan declared.

"Like my privates," Damian mumbled.

"Pardon?" Ryan asked, as he hadn't heard Damian.

"Nothing!" Damian smirked. "What do you think of Robin, pretty hot huh?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Stop flattering yourself…"

Damian giggled. He sat back down next to Ryan, who secretly he thought was really cute. There was a slight silence and both boys stared into space.

"Are you staying over tonight, Ryan?" Damian asked with a glimmer of hope. He turned to Ryan.

Ryan smiled and brushed his brown fringe out of his eyes.

"It is getting pretty late, so if it is fine with you then I guess so…" Ryan smiled.

"Of course it is fine with me!" Damian beamed as he thought of all the gaming, chit chat and potential shenanigans they could get up to.

"Ryan, you are such a tralala!" Damian joked.

"What the hell does that mean, Dami?" Ryan asked.

Damian shrugged, "No clue, it is from a song. I think it means penis!"

"How mature!" Ryan exclaimed as he prodded Damian in the chest. "That awkward moment when your six-pack swallows my finger,"

Damian giggled. "What can I say? I work out!"

Ryan looked at Damian. "You know something?"

"What?" Damian asked.

Ryan giggled, "I wouldn't mind seeing you in those tights you wear!"

Damian rolled his eyes and smiled. "You're so gay!"

Ryan dipped his head in shame. "That is what the boys at school all say," He replied.

"Ryan – I am so sorry, I didn't know it would offend you," Damian said worriedly.

"It is okay," Ryan replied, looking away. "Because it is the truth,"

Damian gasped, "You are gay?"

Ryan nodded, still not looking at Damian. Damian could see the pained expression on Ryan's face, and could see he was almost in tears.

Damian wiped away mini-tears from Ryan's face. "It is okay, Ryan. I completely understand." Damian reassured. He put his hand on Ryan's leg to comfort him.

"No, you really don't, Damian." Ryan said as he looked at Damian.

Damian looked pained; he pulled Ryan in for a hug. "I do Ryan; I have feelings for boys too."

Ryan looked slightly bewildered, "You are gay?" He gasped.

Damian shrugged with a pained look "That or bi, yes." He nodded.

Ryan grabbed Damian's hand and held it tight. The boys smiled at each other.

Ryan gently kissed Damian's cheek. It felt amazing.

"Gay friends!" Ryan exclaimed.

Damian nodded and both the boys laughed. The two boys laughed some more and played Xbox until it was way past their normal bedtime.

"I will get your bed ready; you're on the floor, right?" Damian smiled.

"Or in your big comfy bed!" Ryan smirked.

Damian grinned and shook his head "Don't push it,"


End file.
